Affecting 20% of adults in New Zealand (and Australia), dry eye can be both frustrating and irritating, especially when it interferes with your day-to-day activities.
Dry eye is a broad term describing any range of factors that reduce the volume of tears in the eye. Tears protect the front of the eye, providing lubrication and nutrients to the cornea and creating a smooth front surface for clear vision. They consist of a watery layer to keep the eyes moisturized with an oily layer on top. The oily layer is particularly important for maintaining a smooth surface for consistent vision, and preventing excessive tear evaporation. A reduction in the tear layer may be caused by blocked or poor performing oil glands.This is called Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (aka MGD).
Without good oils, the tears cannot lubricate the eye properly, causing symptoms which vary from a constant niggle, to severe irritation that affects your quality of life. This leads to dryness, irritation, redness and blurred vision.
Dry eye tends to affect females more than males, and can be part of the natural aging process (especially during menopause). As well as a side effect to many medications, including oral contraception.
People who have undergone cataract surgery, laser eye treatment or wear contact lenses may also suffer from this condition. If you have arthritis, asthma, gout, diabetes or if you are over 40 years old, you may also be prone to Dry Eye. Dry Eye Syndrome can also be symptomatic of some diseases including lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and Sjögren’s syndrome.
While there are several ways to treat Dry Eye Syndrome, the most common treatment is the use of artificial tears. These contain oils similar to those produced by the Meibomian Glands and help prevent excessive tear evaporation. However the treatment is ongoing and requires the insertion of these artificial tears into the eye at regular intervals during the day – as frequently as every hour in extreme cases.
Although these artificial tears in most cases help alleviate the symptoms, they do nothing to treat the underlying cause of Dry Eye Syndrome, so the treatment is always ongoing. However this is all about to change.
Take the Dry Eye Self Test
A new innovative treatment using Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) which directly affects the output of the Meibomian glands and subsequent improvement in the quality of the tears has just become available.
Several studies have shown that with just three IPL treatments, taking only three minutes per session, 86 to 90% of patients reported reduced symptoms and that the quality of the oil layer in their tears showed a measurable improvement. This is a non-invasive treatment which requires no special preparation prior to the IPL sessions, is relatively comfortable, and patients can immediately return to their normal lives. Except for the improvement of symptoms which in some cases is immediate, IPL treatment has no side-effects, is safe and has no long-term complications. The IPL device is medically certified for use in many countries around the world including Australasia.
Visique Total Vision is so excited about this new technology and how it is going to change the way we treat Dry Eye Syndrome that we are offering a FREE Dry Eye Assessment (normally worth $69) for a limited time.
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In myopia light comes to focus in front of the retina (back of the eye) instead of on the retina. This may occur for two reasons; either the focusing system (the lens and cornea) is too strong, or the eye is relatively too long.
Symptoms include
The exact cause of myopia is still not clearly understood. Fortunately, we are learning more and more and there are now treatment programmes which have been shown to slow the progression of myopia, especially in children.
There are a number of ways to correct myopia, which may involve spectacles, contact lenses, or refractive surgery. Each of these options focus the light on the retina, making the distance vision clear. In these cases, myopia is corrected but these treatments do not help to manage myopia by slowing down myopia progression.
When myopia increases by 1 diopter there is a 58% increased risk of future eye-related disease, meaning it is so important to manage myopia in children before this change can happen.
Treatment options for Myopia Control include
Myopia is best managed early on to avoid long-term vision issues. That’s why MiYOSMART spectacle lenses were developed specifically for kids. It is an innovative solution for slowing down myopia progression in an easy, safe, effective non-invasive way, so your child can race full-steam ahead.
The usage of the focus area and the defocus area provides clear vision and manages myopia simultaneously.
The results of a two-year clinical trial showed that daily use of MiYOSMART spectacle lenses slowed down myopia progression on average by 60% compared to wearing standard single vision lenses.
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For over 30 years the Irlen Method has delivered the right results for clients around the globe. Certified Irlen diagnosticians and screeners are available in over 45 countries to meet the growing demand for official Irlen Method treatments and products. We encourage you to contact a certified Irlen diagnostician to determine if Irlen Spectral Filters will provide the relief you have been waiting for. For decades, the Irlen Method, developed by Helen Irlen, has provided real solutions and direct relief for longstanding problems. Let Irlen show you how much better life can be.
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